Hero

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As Wesley would demand Shion, she would look at him from the corner of her eye, not bothering to turn towards him, though her eyes would settle on Nadeline. The woman would walk up to her, taking Nadeline's hand in hers, interlacing their fingers together. An aura of light would surround them, and Nadeline admitted that she was slightly nervous in what Shion was doing.

Grant managed to get up on his own, stretching out his limbs as he would join Wesley and Savayna. He winced slightly as he would massage his shoulder, though he would narrow his eyes as he thought. "How do you know all this, Shion?" He asked the woman.

"The current Gran Kiltias has dreamed of the future, a future in which Ivalice will fall." She informed the group as the magicks around her would continue. "He informed me that the only way to put an end to Zodiark's terror was to challenge him head on--and yet, to take on such a power that could even be considered a deity would be nothing but suicide. I asked for a way to cripple his power, though I was told that the only way was by killing the Scion of Time."

"And you still plan on doing so?" Nadeline asked slowly.

"Whether it would have worked or not is now rendered meaningless." Shion stated as she would release Nadeline's hand, Ultima's symbol glowing on the princess' hand. "My sources inform me now that each Esper has been claimed, Zodiark can walk the earth freely. A somber tale, but my work has only begun."

"Then--then we must fight, together!" Nadeline insisted.

Grant crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. Shion shook her head in response. "No. There is still something left that I must do. Once again, I would implore you return to Stigma." She stated as she would begin to walk out. "If you have to ask, you need not know. But if you need to know, you have only to ask. Fallen petals have their uses, after all..." She would walk past Nadeline, past the pair of Savayna and Wesley--giving him a nod of acknoledgment--and past Grant, who would watch her leave. He wanted to ask her what that cryptic riddle was all about, but now was not the time, it seemed.

"I admit my worry now, I think it would be best to return at once." Nadeline told them.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

"Mist in high-density amounts will do that to you," Lorenzo informed Jaakuna as the trio would once again climb into the boat. "They're sure to quarantine this sector once the chaos dies down, but from the looks of it, it'll be some time before this place recovers."

As Emiri would take her seat without so much as a peep, her head pain would subside for a normal headache to take its place. She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes for a moment. What was wrong with her? She had seen Lola and wanted nothing more than to, to just--murder her! She let out a slight groan, catching Lorenzo's attention for a moment. What was worse, Lorenzo knew something was wrong, too. Now that she thought about it, Chaos was very...quiet. She often ignored his constant temptations to just obliterate everything in her way, but he hadn't said a word to her since she recovered.

Chaos? She asked him mentally. Are you there?

The boat would take off, but all Emiri could hear was the water rushing about and the occasional magical buzz from a nearby elemental. How strange. Still, she was somewhat grateful for his silence, as her headache seemed to worsen on her. No, no more thinking, right now she just needed to relax. She wanted to see her father again, she wanted to sleep, she wanted a lot of things, but it seemed the strain from the Mist was finally catching up to her.

"If you're going to throw up, don't get it on the upholstery!" Lorenzo called out to her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Emiri scowled, though she would put a hand to her head. "Nausea is the least of my worries right now." She told him, frowning.

"I'll have Vlyn take a look at you, looks like the Mist is starting to get to you. I'm not too surprised, though, there's been a lot of Mist-based illnesses spreading." He would give Jaakuna a side glance as he spoke. "Probably the cause of that rage you had back there."

Except that wasn't it at all, this much Emiri was certain. But for now, she would only nod in agreement. Why couldn't she quite put her finger on it?

---

Nadeline bit her lip as she watched Wesley, but Savayna was absolutely right. Her dark blue eyes would then fall on Grant's damaged gun, and an idea popped into her head. All Wesley had to do was land a hit, a single hit on Shion. As she would reach over to get it, she would find Grant's own hand grabbing her wrist, his golden eyes narrowed at her.

"It's a thought." Grant would tell Savayna. "But I am not so sure this is the right solution. Shion is a powerful opponent for sure, you have seen how easily she has handled all of Wesley's attacks. What makes you think you can change the outcome?"

The princess looked at Grant, rather determined. "Just as Wesley has thrown all common sense out the window, I must do the thinking in his stead. That is what a queen is for, is it not?" She asked, grabbing his gun and getting to her feet. "Besides...Shion never said Wesley had to be the one to land the hit."

Grant did not like where this was going, but Nadeline had stepped out of his reach at that time. Shion, on the other hand, knew exactly where this fight was going. She was still going strong while the prince's strength would begin to dwindle. Much like any other creature, the weaker they became, the more they would become desperate. Her time was wasted now--it was time that she showed the prince exactly who she was. As Hashmaal would execute his own moves, Shion found them much too predictable, much too easy.

Indeed, it seemed the Esper was only a distraction, as Wesley would then appear before her in a flash. For just a moment, Shion hadn't seen him coming, and if it was not for her own reflexes, she would have surely gotten hit. Indeed, it seemed Wesley had taken a page out of her book and used the elements around him as a strong point. The Mist around them seemed to pulse stronger and stronger, and Shion decided to end his attack once and for all. Sidestepping a swipe, she would direct a palm strike upwards, halting his advance. As she would open her palm, the very same electricity surrounding Wesley would crackle strongly, much too strongly. The very Mist that helped him would be his downfall, as Shion would supercharge his own Mist. Lightning fizzled and then sparked, threatening to overtake them both, though Shion would not give in.

At that point, holding Grant's gun in one hand and her rapier in another, Nadeline would take in a small breath. If Wesley was taking a page out of Jaakuna's book, then she would do the same--but one out of Shion's book. She raised her rapier above her head, her glyph brightening underneath her. "Then I shall follow in Wesley's footsteps, and show him our pride! Shell!" She called, the familiar lights springing around Wesley and protecting him from the Mist's effects.

Shion's eyes darted towards Nadeline, though she would leap backwards as the Mist threatened to converge on her. The princess ran forward, knowing she had exactly one chance. She had Shion's attention now, there was no going back. She gripped Grant's gunblade tightly, her finger repeatedly pulling on the trigger. Her aim was rather shaky, the recoil a lot more difficult to handle than she had anticipated. Shion narrowed her eyes as she would bring up her blade, easily deflecting said bullets. Nadeline would then whip her rapier aside as she neared Shion, charging full speed ahead.

What is she doing? Shion couldn't help but wonder as Nadeline would attack, bringing down her rapier. Her physical attacks are the weakest out of the entire group. What is she trying to accomplish? Grant had thought the same thing, though his eyes would widen as he watched Nadeline swing with his gunblade. Dual wielding wasn't exactly a surprise, but when the second weapon was a gun, one had to be more careful. Shion would deflect Nadeline's swing as a bullet sang through the air. She is trying to shoot me? No, that's too obvious--or is it? In that moment, however, Shion would then bring down her sword. Instead of blocking it with the gunblade, Nadeline would hold her rapier in a reverse grip, managing to block Shion's attack and managing to hold her there. As Nadeline would aim Grant's gun, Shion jumped backwards once more, though the bullet was shot.

Nadeline's rather shaky aim would cause the bullet to go off to the side, but it seemed this fight was over. The bullet would graze through the woman's cheek, and she would freeze in place as Nadeline would point her weapon at her.

"That concludes this duel." Nadeline stated, lowering her weapon. "A single scratch, though I must apologize, I wasn't aiming for your face."

"That worked?!" Grant was just as shocked as Shion was.

Shion stared at Nadeline incredulously, a single bead of blood slowly dripping down from the cut the bullet had made on her cheek. The blue haired woman was deathly silent, though her gaze would turn to Wesley, then Grant, then Savayna. "It would seem you have all gained strength since last we met." She stated, releasing her blade as it would fade away into Mist. "I never imagined such power was here...nor did I expect that not even an honor bound code would prove useless against an affair of love." Her fingertips would touch her cheek as she looked at Wesley and Nadeline.

"Then...you will surrender Ultima?" Grant asked.

"Listen well." Shion would raise her voice as she stepped forward. "The prince is well on his way, but soon, the Espers will begin to grant their vessels abilities--powers none of which Ivalice has ever seen. This was my intention, as the High Seraph would award her Chosen One powers the likes of which very few have seen." She stated, her left hand glowing.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Lola's grin was wicked as she would look at Jaakuna. "Oh, wouldn't you like to know? You would, wouldn't you?" She asked him eagerly. "Oh but...I'm sure Grant knows. Oh, he knows...he knows...won't it break Nadeline's heart to learn who, right?"

Lorenzo narrowed his eyes at Lola, but all the while she spoke, he would inch closer to her. As her crazed eyes would meet his, he charged it. Lola would jab her iaito at him wildly, though it was too late. He had been too close, and she hadn't the time to react. His fist collided with her stomach, causing her grip to loosen on the Shard. He wasn't quite done, however, and as his fist glowed, he would shoot Lola into the air. He ducked in and grabbed the Shard, and as she fell, he would punch her once more, sending her into the debris a good distance away.

"First rule of battle: focus on the enemy." Lorenzo muttered, shaking his head, though he would turn to Emiri and Jaakuna.

Emiri would finally cease her struggling, clearly displeased that Lorenzo got to fight and she didn't. The blonde man would walk over to the pair, looking dow at Emiri. "We should head back before she wakes up, I don't think it's a good idea to stick around." Lorenzo told Jaakuna. "I know you want to know what Lola was talking about, but I have a feeling she was just baiting you. We have the Shard--best to get it as far away from this nutjob as possible."

---

Grant managed to sit up properly, though not without pain as Nadeline would shake her head. "If that is to be my fate, I may as well go back to Stigma right now." Nadeline murmured, though she would raise her head to Savayna. "But I promised, didn't I? I promised that I would not be useless--and I will keep to my word."

"Then an actual, fully casted Curaja would be an excellent place to start, if you don't mind." Grant reminded her, unaware of his painfully sarcastic tone. "You know, with the whole bleeding out and whatnot, I'd appreciate it."

Nadeline shook her head as she would once again place both hands on his wound, but this time, the green colored Curaja would be expended properly throughout his wound. As she worked her magic, she would give Savayna a glance. "Once again, you manage to give me ire. I'd say that you enoyed doing such a thing." She replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Her first sarcastic quirp, I'm so proud." Grant sighed, turning his attention back to the battle. "See, if we had all taken on Ultima, we wouldn't have been in this mess now, would we?"

"I will fix this." Nadeline informed him, Grant's wound at the very least closed at this point. As Grant would open his mouth to retort, she would shoot him a look. "I will. I don't know how yet, but I will. I refuse to sit by and do nothing while everyone else does the fighting for me."

Meanwhile, Shion would have been intimidated by Hashmaal's power, but she knew that despite the Espers being creatures of the gods, their power was bound to their mortals As such, they were only as strong as those who summoned him. Still, she wasn't about to go easy just because she knew she could take on Wesley. No, despite his rather vulgar use of language (which also reminded her very much of the Archadian prince) he was determined to win. If that was the case, she had no reason to hold back, then.

The woman would grip her sword with both hands, holding it upright as Wesley would stab the ground. That was when his esper would send out his next attack at her, a spell she had only heard of once. Still, she had no fear of the unknown, and would retaliate as she needed to. Its power was strong, Shion figured that magicks must have been a forte of Wesley's as well. However, he was going to have to do better than that if he hoped to win. Her amber eyes would narrow, though she would chose to stay in place.

As Shion would raise her sword, Nadeline's glyph would appear beneath her, and she would mimic Wesley and stab her own blade into the ground. A cold wind would sweep the area, and from the same ground would multiple pillars of Blizzaga spring upwards, cooling the molten earth, and the wave would come to a cooled off halt before Shion. Instead she would stomp on it, shattering the ice in place and releasing a dense, cool mist into the air.

"Try again." Shion told Wesley, pointing her sword at him.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

I'll kill her. Calm down? Calm down? What was that? Who was he talking to? All Emiri could think of was killing Lola, all she could think about was plunging her dagger into the woman's chest. Why was she being held back? She was fighting the enemy, couldn't he see? I'll kill her. Emiri's struggling would cease and be replaced with heavy breathing, her free hand gripping Jaakuna's arm. Calm down, he said. But she wanted to kill her.

"Let me go, Jaakuna," Emiri told him, her voice much too quiet, much too calm. "Lola is dangerous. We must help Lorenzo."

Dealing with crazy women was something Lorenzo had done back in his youth. He was always quite the charmer, quite the heart-breaker, though he admitted to himself that none of those women were as mentally unhinged as Lola was. No, clinically insane was more like it, though for some reason, he felt like the woman wasn't fully in control of her actions. Not that it was an excuse, but for some reason she reminded him of Emiri. Was Zodiark's mere presence causing such a toll on the mentality of the people? He knew the answer to that, but he wouldn't let his guard down, not for a second. Lola grinned at him from a distance away, as if taunting him. He wanted to get the Shard back, but as he would eye Emiri and Jaakuna warily, he wondered if it was even worth it.

"Alright, is the Shard what you really want?" Lorenzo asked her, cocking an eyebrow. "Whatever happened to that leader of yours? Or are you trying to tell me you went rogue?"

Lola's eyes widened slightly, though she would then wince. "Boss...boss said to blow up the mines. But she said to go to the middle...so no one would get hurt. Magicite exploding would have helped put some balance into the negative air Zodiark is letting out," Lola informed him, a small smile on her face. "But...they're all going to die anyway. Only we, the Chosen few, would stand a chance against this madness."

He wanted to chalk it off as the mumblings of a mad woman, but something seemed to click in his head. "You say that, but I feel like you're being more affected."

Lola would put both hands on the side of her head as she would speak. "I can't stop hearing his voice. He whispers things to me, he tells me things...him and the Esper, him, him, him!"

---

Grant had always known he was an idiot. Suicidal, though? Not so much. He would blink a few times, his body recovering from the shock of the attack, although with it would come a piercing pain. His able hand would shoot up to his shoulder, and he would let out a sigh. How had things come to this? What was worse, something had happened in Stigma. As the thought would cross his mind, he would see Savayna and Nadeline. Something else was surely happening, but the whole 'take a sword to the shoulder' pain was quite distracting.

Nadeline, on the other hand, was deathly silent. Even as Wesley would make his promise, this feeling in the pit of her stomach simply wouldn't go away. What had she done? What had she caused? If only she hadn't let her stubbornness get the better of her. This was wrong, everything was all wrong! Her concentration was doing about as well as a hungry wolf in a meat market, her Curajas constantly failing to do anything.

"Not your fault." Grant then mumbled, as if reading her thoughts. "Stop thinking that."

The princess shook her head as tears threatened to fall once more, though she would do everything in her power to hold them back. "I cannot. If not as an individual, how am I to someday take the throne if I cannot even help the people before me? I should have listened, I should not have let my own pride make my decisions so brash..." Nadeline shook her head as she spoke, her now blood-stained hands on Grant's shoulder as she would try and fail to cast her healing magicks. "Even if Wesley were to defeat Shion, Ultima would never yield to someone as weak as I am."

Grant let out another sigh, looking up instead at Savayna. "I think I may be going delusional, Savayna, I could swear I just heard Nadeline call herself weak."

On the other side of the room, Wesley would approach Shion. She would shake her head sadly at his words, but it would seem she accepted the duel. She would drop her katana, letting it fade to Mist as her palm would glow. She pulled out another blade, whipping it aside as Wesley and the Esper would split up. If only things had gone differently, but the call of battle seemed much too strong today.

A small charge of lightning surrounded Shion, and she gripped her sword. Hurting the prince of Dalmasca was simply not an option at the moment, and despite his boasts, she wondered if he knew what he was getting to. "Handle me, he says, as if I were some wild animal." Shion said slowly as she watched his strike come. She raised her arm to the side, Nadeline's glyph appearing beneath her as she would leap up effortlessly, away from the two attacks. She would point her sword downwards at the Esper, a small, black ball charging at the tip of her sword. The Shock spell would erupt from her blade, its erratic pattern charging down at Hashmaal as Shion would land some distance away, gripping her sword with both hands.

"Your cause is noble. But I believe you have forgotten who it is you are fighting." Shion told Wesley as her flower would glow ominously. "The Archadian prince learned who I am the hard way. Do you truly believe yourself to be in my league? Your arrogance knows no bounds, does it, Prince of Dalmasca?" She asked, pointing at him. "As penance for my actions, I will offer you this. If you manage to lay so much as a scratch on me, I will concede."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Something in the air had changed. What could possibly be happening right now? It was as if the world itself was trembling, crying out in pain. Karolina was never one to think of such things, but at the moment, all she could think about was her daughter and husband. If only she were stronger, she could help them somehow. She was ordered bedrest shortly after the trio had departed, but she stood against the balcony, watching the people below her. There was so much fighting, so much violence. The people were scared, and no one knew why. Reia was up to her neck in complaints, though last Karolina heard, the Empress was in a meeting with the Council.

She could not stand around no longer, and decided to go to visit Justine. The few servants that wandered around were busy helping the doctors and patients that littered the occupied rooms. As she entered, she slowly walked over to her sister's coffin. She looked almost peaceful somehow, and for just a moment, her grief almost took a hold of her once more. When the door would open behind her, she would see Vlyn stumble in, holding his head. She let out a gasp as he would drop to his knees, immediately rushing to his side.

"Ah, Lady Karolina, so you're here?" He asked rather nonchalantly.

"Are you alright?" She asked him as she helped him to his feet.

"We Viera are quite sensitive things. Funny, I figured since my ears were dulled, I wouldn't be as affected, but even my ears can hear the Wood scream out in pain." He replied, giving her a wink. "No need to fret. I'm no Aloa, but I'll be alright, though..." He inspected her carefully. "You can feel it, too, can't you?"

"Something I share in common with my niece." She sighed, recalling Emiri. "Though I am no where near as Mist sensitive as she is. I feel as if this...this madness has gripped us all, though I know not what caused it."

"That would be Zodiark." He explained as they would once more stand before the coffin. "Looks like Ultima has been claimed. The Dark Esper now lashes out, and in turn Ivalice and her people suffer for it."

"What will happen now?" Karolina asked, worried.

"Either the end of Ivalice...or her salvation." Vlyn sighed, though the pair would look to the doors as they would open once more. Aloa herself had slipped in with a single white rose, though she seemed surprised to see the pair. "You're here? What about Eruyt?"

"The village sleeps in peace, the Wood deemed it necessary." She sighed as she would join them. "I thought I would offer my services here, as I can do no more for my people. And yet, something had disturbed me for some time, something that, if only I were wiser, I could have forseen...Zodiark and his presence has tampered with even my senses, it would seem."

"What do you speak of?"

Aloa would place the rose among the many surrounding the coffin. "Of Emiri. Both she and Jaakuna had come to see me, claiming that the Leviathan had helped her with her recovery. 'Twas true, this much I knew, however...something else was there, something even I knew not of. Perhaps I had hoped it would have been the work of her own Esper, but no...denial, could it have been? I know not, the screams of my people had clouded my ears, I was more desperate to help them than to focus on the outsiders."

Vlyn couldn't help but smirk. "That's a Viera thought if I had ever seen one."

Karolina bit her lip nervously. "They were here, I thought Emelia was acting strange, but with what happened to Justine and Andre...I made the assumption it was sorrow. I...Forgive me, I should have--" The blonde shook her head. "They have gone to the mines, where the explosion happened, with Lorenzo. I'm sure they will come back soon."

Aloa fell silent. Vlyn looked at her curiously. "There's something else, isn't there?" He asked.

"I am not completely sure, but..." Aloa said slowly, her eyes briefly flickering to Karolina. "...I dreamt of the princess. Not a common occurrence, this much I can tell you, however...I fear. I wonder how she is doing."

If Karolina could get any paler, she probably would have. She inhaled slowly, trying to calm herself. She would send a silent prayer to the gods as she looked down at her sister. Her most precious child, her only ray of light, it seemed a mother's intuition was the best thing she had. She would shake her head, looking back at Aloa. "Nadeline is strong. She will come back to us, I can guarantee this much." She spoke, though as she did she felt like she was reassuring herself.

"Of course, my lady. There was never any doubt." Vlyn reiterated. "But tell me, Aloa, has Ultima been captured?"

"I'm impressed, Vlyn." Aloa admitted, raising her eyebrows. "You finally sound of your heritage."

Vlyn scowled at her as Karolina would speak. "What does it all mean?"

Aloa closed her eyes. "The end is approaching."

---

Lola had always known Emiri was skilled, hell, their previous battle in Archades showed exactly what the girl was capable of even without her powers. But now, Lola was on her toes constantly as Emiri would come at her with every tool in her arsenal, so to speak. She should have been worried, but at the moment, she was enjoying it. That wild, untamed look she had, the sharpness of those violet eyes, the anger practically pouring out of her body--she had half a mind to pin her down and take her right then and there. Still, she had come to accomplish something, and she wasn't about to fail just because the little brunette was throwing what was equivalent to a temper tantrum. As she could spot her clone disintegrated by the flames of Belias, she knew her time was up. It was now or never.

Lorenzo didn't know exactly what Jaakuna was talking about, but even he wasn't stupid enough to ignore it. The bottom line was that it was bad news, period. Emiri was going berserk at Lola, leaving her attacks stronger yet quite sloppy and uncoordinated. Lorenzo cursed out loud, though he would signal for Jaakuna to stay back. "If you go in with your big guy, you could fry them both." He might have been stating the obvious, but he knew that Jaakuna's first instinct would be to protect Emiri, and he was counting on it for his next move. He would touch both hands to the ground, looking like he was going to start running, but he eyed the two women very carefully, waiting for his chance. "Emiri's going to get tossed your way. I'm going to need you to restrain her the best you can--no doubt the first thing she's going to do is try to jump back to the fray." He told Jaakuna, his tone unnaturally calm all things considered.

Lola had made her decision and was only waiting for an opening. As Emiri would disappear, she anticipated her next attack. At that moment, Lorenzo would charge forward as Emiri would reappear behind Lola. He would run forward with an inhuman speed, to the point Lola hadn't even seen him. He would intercept Emiri's attack, grabbing her wrist firmly as he would direct her attack away from him, though she managed to barely scratch his cheek. Lola would seize her chance, but Lorenzo had already anticipated her move as well. Still holding Emiri's wrist, he jumped upwards as Lola would slash vertically, twisting his body and Emiri around and putting the brunette between the two. He yanked Emiri to him and managed to grab her by the back of her neck, effectively switching places with her and grabbing Lola with his free hand. Lola swung at him, though at such a range it went nowhere, and Lorenzo would throw Emiri at Jaakuna.

"You're a lot faster than I thought." Lola admitted, though she would grab at Lorenzo's pocket, her fingertips managing to brush his pocket. However, Lorenzo would release her, a glowing red magick surrounding his foot as he would kick her, sending her flying. Lola rolled backwards, managing to hop up to her feet as she skidded to a halt. "But not fast enough." She smiled as she would reveal the Midlight Shard in her hand.

Lorenzo's hand immediately went to his pocket, and he would pull out Emiri's hair-tie in its place. How was she able to do it without him noticing when he had her in control all this time? She didn't even go in his pocket, just touched the outside of it. "You're more like a pickpocket than an assassin." Lorenzo replied, pocketing the hair-tie as he raised his fists in preparation for a fight.

"You have yours. I have mine. I don't think there's a reason to be fighting now, is there?" Lola asked, smirking.

"Just tell me one thing." Lorenzo said, putting his arms down. "Why did you have to blow up the mines?"

"Because I wanted to." Lola replied, placing one hand on her hip. "[b]Boss wasn't too happy when she found out, she had wanted to put the Shard to better use. But I thought, 'why not cripple a country' and thought that was better.[/b]" Lorenzo narrowed his eyes. "Zodiark's coming...and he's going to destroy us all!" She stated, letting out a rather unnerving laugh.

"She's completely lost it..." Lorenzo muttered, shaking his head.

Emiri let out a small groan, rubbing her wrist. Why the hell would Lorenzo do that? Still, as she would see Lola, she could feel her previous rage start to resurface. Gripping her dagger, she made to move, determined to strike Lola down.

---

Grant's eyes widened as Wesley challenged Shion. Was he insane!? Didn't he recall their last encounter with the woman? Jaakuna had barely managed to hold his own, and that was with the help of the Dark Esper. What was worse was that he knew Shion wouldn't hesitate to strike Wesley down, consequences be damned. He let out a curse as Shion would anticipate his attack, and broke into a run. If he could make it in time, he needed to stop the prince from what was essentially a suicide attack.

Nadeline's eyes widened considerably. What had happened to him? Wesley was never this brash, but it seemed the mentioning of the Midlight Shard had awakened something deep within him. She knew why, she knew what that place had meant to him. As she would try to move forward, her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. Despite Shion doing no harm to her, the action of mimicking her magicks had left her drained. No, she couldn't possibly be helpless, not now of all times! But as things looked bad, they were about to get much, much worse. The blue haired woman would only eye Wesley warily as he would attack. She would bring her arm up once again, a Protect springing up to life and blocking Wesley's attack. It was as if his attack was little more than a physical swing, though it seemed Shion wasn't done.

"It was not I who ventured into the ruins of Nabudis." Her tone was darker, as were her eyes. "You would think me foolish enough to desecrate my own land, a place I once called home? Do I seem the type to spend needless destruction? While I will take blame for coming into posession of the shard, I would never attack Rozarria. What would I have to gain when my goal is to eradicate Zodiark from Ivalice?"

Grant came to a halt, something clicking in his mind. That was right, Shion wanted to get rid of Zodiark. It was the only reason she had attacked Jaakuna. "Then who gave you the Midlight Shard?" He asked. "You haven't answered my previous questions, either!"

Shion looked towards him, if only for a moment, but she would raise her sword at Wesley. "I will go to Zodiark and conquer him. The High Seraph is no match for his darkness, but it will give my own attacks an advantage." She stated, eyes narrowing. Nadeline realized what she was going to do, and she ran forward. "For Nabudis, for my fallen brethren, I will cleanse this world of the darkness once and for all! If you would stand in my way, I will cut you down as well!"

The ground underneath her would splinter as she charged forward, sword aloft. No, no, how did things turn out so badly?! The thought itself threatened to crush Nadeline's spirit, but the only thing she could think of was protecting Wesley. She couldn't let any harm come to him, she couldn't let Shion hurt him! And yet her body rebelled against her mind, too weak, and she would fall to her knees, her hand outstretched to her lover. "Wesley--NO!" Nadeline screamed as Shion swung.

In that moment, it almost looked like time itself had slowed down. Shion's amber eyes were concentrated, ever focused on Wesley, though for a split second they would widen slightly in surprise. Between herself and the prince had Grant thrown himself, and he had used his weapon to deflect Shion's attack. It was not without a price, however, as Shion's attack was much too strong, and her sword would slice through his shoulder, taking the brunt of the attack. "Grant! GRANT!" Nadeline cried out, pushing herself to run over to him.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Lola had no idea Lorenzo was a fighter, though it seemed that his hand-to-hand combat was if not greater than surely equal to her own. Lorenzo would think the same, her ever insistent dodging becoming something of an annoyance, though he was sure that she cared little for his life. No, she was after the stone in his pocket, which was why she was becoming increasingly aggressive with him as she would switch to offense. He wanted to say he was enjoying this, but in all actuality it was more annoying than anything else.

Meanwhile the Lola who would challenge Jaakuna would find herself versing an Esper. She should have figured the cheater would pull out his trump card, but she admitted that she hadn't thought it would happen so soon. Still, a single pillar was easy to dodge no matter its size, and she would pull out her iaito as she would run. The goal was to get the shard, she had very little care for Jaakuna, but he would be a thorn at her side unless she would take care of him. She would take out several kunai and throw them at him, hoping to keep him occupied.

Emiri swung rapidly at Lola, who was dodging with ease. Her anger made her attacks rather predictable, though Lola couldn't deny that she was enjoying it. Still, as she watched Emiri, she would take note of her loose hair swinging itself behind her. Lola would sidestep one of Emiri's jab's, grabbing her wrist and quickly twisting her arm. Before the brunette could react, Lola would drive her knee into her stomach, causing Emiri to drop down to the ground, clutching her stomach in pain. Lola would bring something out of her pocket, dangling it in front of her. "Oh, I managed to pick this up from the last time I ran into you at the desert." She said as Emiri would finally see her clover hair-tie in Lola's hand. "I figured you would want it back." Emiri would grab the dagger from her boot and swing at Lola, who only jumped back and chuckled in response. "The very least you could do is say 'please'! I know you want it, don't you?" She stated, holding it out to her. "Now that your poor little mommy is dead, this is all you have left of her, isn't it?"

Something seemed to snap in Emiri's mind, a rage overtaking her like no other. How dare she mock her as such, how dare she even mention her mother! In that moment, however, Lorenzo would catch sight of Emiri. He knew exactly what was going to happen next--as Lola would swing at him, he would grab her by the elbow, swinging her around and throwing her at the original Lola. The two would collide and land some distance away, and Lorenzo would run over to Emiri, grabbing her shoulder as she meant to run after Lola. "She's taunting you, can't you see that?!" He asked her, clearly annoyed.

"I'll kill her." Emiri responded, swatting Lorenzo's hand off her. "I--will--KILL--HER!" And in the next moment, Emiri would disappear from view, reappearing next to one of the Lolas. She held her dagger high, and when she would bring it down, it would slice through the woman's neck. The clone would fade away as Lola herself would quickly move out of harm's way, though she was shocked. To think Emiri was so...violent. Having Lola run into her sword was one thing, but trying to slice her neck open was another. Emiri would look at her, gripping her dagger tightly as she would talk over to her, and for just a second, Lola hesitated.

Lorenzo let out a curse, instead yelling over to Jaakuna, "What is wrong with Emiri?! When the fuck did she get so bloodthirsty?!"

---

What happened?

Everything had passed by so quickly, for a moment, Nadeline believed she had died. Her entire body flickered from excrutiating pain to complete numbness and would only continue back and forth. Had she fallen unconscious? No, she was awake, but everything seemed so surreal. Her senses seemed so dull, but she would hear Wesley. Wesley. She had failed him, hadn't she? She had failed everyone. Her eyelids felt so heavy, she felt like she could drift off to sleep at any moment. She was tired. So tired. Wesley was speaking, he was talking about her, but it wasn't Wesley, was it? Then, it was him. There was no mistaking Wesley's voice, but as he would put her down, she wanted to reach out to him. No, no, she needed to fight with him. But every bone, every muscle refused to go along with her commands.

Why?

Grant would gladly step forward as he would reload his gun, holding it at the ready as he would join Wesley and Savayna. "Indeed. I don't take kindly to those who would harm those dear to me, so don't take it personally, alright?"

Nadeline watched him, struggling to stay awake, though she would look to the thundering clouds above them. They seemed rather shaken since her spells had hit them, but there was something just a little off about them. Still, her eyes would widen as she would watch a figure descend from them, blade pointing straight down. She would attempt to yell out a word of caution as her entire body would suddenly wake up, but it would seem her allies were not the target. No, the blade would instead pierce through Ultima, surprising everyone in the area. The blade would explode in a familiar, brilliant light, and the Esper would be caught in an exploson. Said explosion would nearly knock anyone off their feet, though when Grant lowered his arms, his eyes widened.

Ultima's eyes would narrow. "So...you have come..." She spoke quietly as she would touch the sword impaled through her chest. "Yet you were not the one meant for me..." Her words would fade away to the wind as she would dissolve into Mist, revealing the blue haired woman behind her. She would take her sword in her hand, her left hand glowing with Ultima's symbol.

Grant immediately aimed his gun at the woman. Shion, of all people, had to show up now?! And to steal Ultima, no less. "I admit, this is rather uncharacteristic of you. For some reason, I assumed you were a woman of honor rather than a petty thief who would swoop in at the last minute to grab the treasure." He shook his head, though Nadeline would feel herself finally free of her binds, letting out a sigh of relief.

Shion would let out a small sigh, though it seemed she would agree with Grant as she would de-summon her blade, her fingers brushing her left hand. "Indeed." She said as she would approach the group very slowly. "You have done well, this much I will admit." Shion stated, amber eyes on Nadeline's blue ones as she walked. "Indeed, it is you, and only you who would defeat the High Seraph. Alas, things have changed, and I must adjust accordingly. However..."

Before any of the trio could even think to react, Shion would hold her arm out, an all too familiar shadow rising from behind her. It would simply grow in size into a wall, blocking the group from the still bound Nadeline. Grant turned around, but the wall would them push them all back some distance, effectively blocking them from interfering. It was rather strange, Nadeline had no idea what Shion wanted with her. Shion's face was as puzzling as her actions were, but for some reason, Nadeline was sure that Shion wouldn't hurt her for some reason.

Shion would get down on one knee, lightly brushing a stray hair off of Nadeline's cheek. For just a split second, anyone could have mistaken it for kindness. "You fought valiantly. Your victory was all but assured. If only the fates weren't so cruel, surely you would have walked out of here with Ultima at your command." As she spoke, she would place her hand on Nadeline's cheek, her blue fingernails glowing dimly. Nadeline's eyes widened, as she would feel a rather odd sensation from Shion's touch. She couldn't describe it, but it almost felt like she was taking something from her. No, that wasn't entirely correct, either.

Shion would then stand as her shadow wall would effectively disappear, taking a look at Savayna, then Wesley, and finally resting her eyes on Grant. "I would highly recommend you regroup with the other prince and the Scion of Time. Lola has released the Midlight Shard's power upon Stigma, resulting in many casualties." She would shake her head, as if pitying the results. "How things have changed. How people change. Ivalice weeps for her children, she weeps for the destruction Zodiark inflicts. Even know he grows stronger...ever stronger now that there are no more Espers bound to Ivalice herself."

What?! Nadeline let out a gasp of horror. Lola truly was mad, wasn't she? But to think she would do such a thing! Grant would lower his head, though he would raise it. "Then what is your business with Nadeline? Why would you steal Ultima if it was she who was destined to bear her holy power?" He asked.

She would turn her gaze to the clouds above them. "It has been some time since I have seen such raw power in magicks. Indeed, the princess here is quite gifted. Were she only to have the echoes of battles past, she would have bested Ultima. I thought to use that power for my own benefit. With my experience, I will be putting her magicks to good use." She would then extend her hand to Nadeline, a bright, green light appearing above her. She recognized the spell instantly--it was a Curaja. Not only that, but her wounds would heal themselves up rather quickly all things considered. Shion looked at her own hand.

"You...stole my magicks?" Nadeline asked as she would manage to get up

"No. I merely copied them." Shion replied, snapping her fingers. A bolt of lightning would strike down from the clouds, scorching the area it landed on.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

"In my hands, I hold a now empty Midlight Shard," Emiri reiterated to Jaakuna. "We have had both the Dawn and Dusk Shards in our possession, and believe me when I tell you that I would recognize either one of them at any moment. But this one, this is one whose Mist I have never felt before...even the stone itself in appearance is different from the other two." She stated, shaking her head. "Whoever had this...they got it...from...from Nabudis." She informed Jaakuna as she would look at him, unwilling to recall their horrid encounter from their experiences at the place.

Lorenzo would take the stone from her, inspecing it carefully. "The same nethicite that destroyed Nabradia would return only to show up on Rozarrian land. Ironic, isn't it?" He asked, tossing the stone in the air and catching it, though he would turn his attention tot he brunette. "If I didn't know any better, I would suggest you were part viera. Actually, I don't even think Aloa would have gotten such detail from the place as you have."

Emiri would look up, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I have always been sensitive to the Mist. Even now, I feel as if I'm underwater, suffocating and trying my best not to drown." She said, shaking her head. "Though...I would credit knowing about the nethicite to our time with them. They had a very distinct feeling to them, and this stone does as well. Thus my logical conclusion that this is the Midlight Shard." She said quietly, closing her eyes as her vision would blur. "I can hear it...I can hear the whispers of the nethicite in the Mist: this is my power, and I want more."

At that, Lorenzo couldn't quite stifle his laugh. "Talking rocks, huh?" He asked, inspecting the stone. "Tell me, Emiri...are you drawn to it?" He asked, offering her the stone.

She should have been repulsed by the stone. Gods knew how many times those things made her quake in her boots, the downright uncomfortable feeling she would get from it. And yet, as she looked from Lorenzo tot he stone, something deep in her mind seemed to click. The stone was truly powerful, even devoid as it was, she almost felt like it was calling out to her. All it would need was Mist...all it needed to give her the power...power she could use for anything, anything she wanted at all. Lorenzo would take the stone back, pocketing it, and taking note of Emiri's blank expression and her eyes. There it was again, though this time at least she was much less hostile. Her eyes would flicker up to his, and they would stare at each other for a moment.

Lorenzo carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be keeping this for the time being. You may accidentally trigger it with your powers, and we wouldn't want that now, would we?" He asked her. Emiri was deathly quiet, though she would give Lorenzo a nod. The blonde stared at her, though he would give Jaakuna his attention, almost as if he was asking if he was seeing what he was seeing, but at that moment, Emiri would grab her head in pain. "Hey, what's--MOVE!" Lorenzo suddenly shouted, immediately leaping back as a sword would pierce the spot he was standing.

Emiri managed to dodge, but would freeze in place as she saw the sword. She would recognize that weapon anywhere. She spun around to see Lola approaching the group. "Nice reflexes! I didn't think an old man like you had it in you!" Lola clapped sarcastically. It was her. Emiri's blood boiled just looking at her, her clenched fists shaking in anger. Lola noticed Emiri's rather scathing look, and shook her head. "Now, now, little pet, I'm not here for a fight. I just want the Shard, that's all."

"Eh? HEY! WHO ARE YOU CALLING OLD?!" Lorenzo shouted, waving his arms frantically, though he would stop as he realized what Lola wanted. "Huh, a random chick dressed pretty weirdly who wants what amounts to a weapon of mass destruction. Seems legit."

The brunette could not contain her anger anymore, and would grab Lola's sword. "You...you should have died in Archades." She growled, the pulse in her head getting stronger.

"I didn't appreciate that nasty stunt you pulled." Lola informed her, placing her hand on her hip. "Boss really chewed me out for that one...you get less and less cute every time we meet." She sighed, though she would lightly touch her lips with her fingertips. "Though I admit, I do miss those soft, sultry lips." She smirked.

Lola was baiting Emiri. And the worst part was that Emiri would take it. "Wait!" Lorenzo called as Emiri charged forward, gripping Lola's Iaito in her hand. "Fuck, what is wrong with her?!" Lorenzo cursed as Lola would pull out a second blade, splitting herself into three and charging forward. "Huh. Chick's got some moves." He admitted as one would slice at him, though he dodged it with ease.

---

It wasn't dangerous, it was downright suicidal. For a moment, just a single moment, Grant had to ponder if this was Nadeline's intention all along. The path through Giruvegan and their overall journey had done a lot for her growth, but it also pointed out every flaw she had. Her physical weakness, her inexperience, her short temper...each one highlighted at different points and exposed for them all to see. Grant couldn't help but form a fist as he watched the fight unfold. He wanted to believe that Nadeline could win, but the more they fought, the more it was apparent that she was fighting a losing battle.

Nadeline was surprised to see her Scathe bounced off so effortlessly. Perhaps it wasn't as strong as she had hoped, and as she watched it fly into the clouds, it felt like everything around her had slowed down, if only for a moment. No matter what she threw at her, the High Seraph always seemed just one step ahead of her. She had wanted to prove herself so badly, she wanted to show everyone that she could conquer Ultima. As Scathe would explode above them, the remainder of the spell would fizzle out. The rest of the Ultima clones would begin their next move, and as Nadeline would weave in between her attacks, she would look over at the group for just a moment. The mistake would be her first, and possibly cost her the fight, as the distraction would cause one of the Ultimas to attack her from behind.

Nadeline spun around, throwing up a Protect, but her focus was lacking, and the shield cracked and shattered. The princess' eyes widened as the magick bound her, her rapier forced against her and burning her shoulder as she fell to the ground. No! She struggled, resisting the urge to cry out as her own weapon harmed her. The light would fade away, and the weapon would fall silent in response. It was in that moment that she realized just how exhausted she was. Despite the surrounding crystal and Mist boosting her magicks, it seemed she was almost out of magical energy. She hadn't even realized how heavily she had been breathing, how her struggle against her binds was pathetically weak, even for her.

Ultima approached her, informing her that she had all but lost. She would note her mistake in challenging the Esper alone, how her own inexperience had caused the fight to backfire, and Nadeline could feel the tears forming. Why, why couldn't she win?! What was all this for?! Still, Ultima would give her the chance to ask for help, and her eyes immediately went to the rest of the group. Grant had had enough as well. It was a valiant effort, but it was just too much for one person. Nadeline wasn't to blame, no single person could best an Esper whose power was probably at triple or quadruple their usual power.

"Nadeline, that's enough!" Grant called out to her, already readying his weapon. "You've done enough! We can help you, together we can--"

"No!" She immediately called out without hesitation. "I'm...I'm not yet done!"

"This is foolishness! You have nothing to prove to anyone!" His tone was uncharacteristically pleading now, shocking everyone. "You are not powerless! We're all right here with you, let us help you!"

She couldn't. That absolutely could not happen no matter what. She just had to prove herself, she knew that she could do it. And yet, int he back of her mind, she wondered if she really believed herself. She wanted to show everyone what she was capable of. No, that wasn't true at all. As selfish as it sounded, she was in this purely for herself. She wanted to prove to herself that she wasn't useless. [i]Why...why can't I defeat her?![i] Her frustration was imminent as she would look at Ultima. What am I missing? Even when I landed my hit, it did so little to faze her...so why can't I win?! She couldn't stop the tears from running down her cheeks, and she would look down in shame. What am I doing wrong? Everything I've known until now, everything I've done...was it all for nothing?!

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

"Of course!" Emiri would call out back to Jaakuna, though she would remain focused on the path ahead of them. The Elementals would glide above the water as they pleased, but it seemed like they would grow in numbers the closer they got to shore. The Mist would begin to dance in colors, and it was then Emiri shuddered. She would take in a deep breath, though it seemed the Mist affected her more than usual. She could swear the gods were toying with her as the familiar sensation of venturing closer to their destination would come with thicker Mist.

Lorenzo, on the other hand, would take full advantage of the thickened Mist. "As they say, the more Mist, the more powerful Magicks!" He called as he would punch the air, shooting out a red magic to a Sahagin that had threatened to leap onboard. As he would kick off another Sahagin off his boat, he looked around to see the site. A grim look occupied him as it was clear that the destruction of the area was much, much worse than he had thought. The reports hadn't done the devastation justice. Though for once, even he could feel the Mist sending a chill up his spine, and he looked down at Emiri.

As if on cue, a sharp pain would hit her head, and she winced. She silently cursed her sensitivity to the Mist, though for some reason, she could tell it was something else. No, something powerful was up ahead, waiting for them. Taking in a deep breath, she felt suffocated as the heat of the Mist burned in the air. What was this feeling? It was so familiar, yet she could not put her finger on it. No, she knew exactly what it was. It really was exactly like Nabudis, and what was worse, she could feel the damned deifacted nethicite even as far from it she was.

"Deifacted nethicite was definitely the cause of this," She would inform Lorenzo and Jaakuna as they fought.

Lorenzo would kick off another monster as he asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"The Mist...it burns, it toils through the air...and yet the stone thirsts," She stated, narrowing her eyes. Lorenzo couldn't help but note Emiri's reaction was much like a cat to water. "It thirsts for more power, more destruction...and..."

The blonde would fall silent as he looked ahead to what little remained of the docks. As Emiri would pull in and turn off the engine, he would hop off the boat. "And here we are, though I admit I thought there would be more monsters lurking about." He said as he stretched his arms over his head. "What a workout, eh Jaakie?"

Emiri carefully climbed out, though the pain pulsed in her head something dreadful. It was as if every sense she had was heightened tenfold, the Mist attacking her very skin. It was somewhat dizzying to say the least, though as she looked around, she felt that it was oddly quiet. It was like the Mist was whispering to her, quietly trying to draw her to somewhere. Without so much as a word, Emiri began to walk. She had no idea where her footsteps would lead her, though as she walked, there were less buildings and more open areas. It seemed she was heading towards the center of the explosion, though it took a second to realize this. The pain in her head would increase and at that point she would find it hard to breathe, yet she would continue.

She finally came to a stop, kneeling down as she would inspect something on the ground. It was half buried, but as she would dig it out, it would glow omniously. She picked it up, grasping it tightly. "This is not the Dawn or the Dusk Shard. This is...the Midlight Shard..." She mumbled, slightly confused. "This was not the work of Archadia, not at all. This stone was said to be lost in Nabudis...what is it doing here?"

---

Grant watched the fight unfold, crossing his arms. "What it really means, Savayna, is that Nadeline is going to play every card she has--even if she doesn't know what the card is." He would look at Wesley momentarily. "I can assure you that each spell she has used so far has been the very first time she has casted it. She is relying purely on the knowledge she has, rather than the practice. She reacts quickly enough, but anyone who uses even the most basic magicks know how unwise it is to use such advanced spells without proper training. I digress, however, and admit...I'm rather impressed. Since I saw Scourge, I knew that despite her inexperience, she does have the talent to control the magicks. My only wonder has to be whether or not she can keep it up..."

As Ultima would divide herself, Nadeline took a few steps backwards, mentally taking note of the positions they were in relative to her. She would take her hand and glide it from the base of the sword to its tip, and it would glow once more. As the spells would come, Nadeline sliced through the first one cleanly, and it because a rhythm as each Holaga would get cut down. Each one would promptly explode in response, forcing Nadeline to keep moving, though she was going to make sure she would keep up her aggressive offense. Her magical glyph would appear beneath her feet as she ran, and as she skidded to a halt, each Ultima would be in range for her next attack. She would draw a circle in the air in front of her, the magicks flowing from her rapier to mimic the glyph beneath her.

"Scathe!" She called, and the glyph would promptly shoot forth a non-elemental magic very reminiscent of a giant laser at her enemies.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Lorenzo would agree with Jaakuna, and would lead the pair back to his garage. Emiri couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as they walked. She had assumed they would be taking one of the usual boats down the canal, but it seemed Lorenzo deemed it necessary to use one of his toys. He would halt before one of the benches, taking off his jacket and folding it neatly. He would open a drawer and take out a pair of very simple, fingerless black gloves and slip them over his hands. She wasn't entirely sure, but they had a distinct familiar feeling for some reason. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps Lorenzo was preparing for a fight, though she admitted she had never seen him fight. As if reading her mind, he would give Emiri a thumbs up and put on a pair of sunglasses, and would lead them through a door that revealed a set of stairs.

As they would descend, Emiri could hear the sound of water. Once they reached the bottom, they would see a part of the canal running through and a small dock holding only one vehicle. Emiri raised her eyebrows in fascination as they approached the odd looking boat. What was it with boys and their toys? As the glass would open to admit passengers, Lorenzo would grin. "The Royal Carriage, believe it or not. Reia actually uses this to get around Stigma faster, built by yours truly." He would let out a rather haughty laugh.

Truly, Lorenzo's technical prowess really was something to behold. The man would offer Emiri his hand, and she would climb into the backseat, noticing immediately how small it was. If she was any taller, she imagined she would have had a tougher time squeezing in. Lorenzo would then take the driver's seat, and once Jaakuna would climb in, the glass would close above them. As Lorenzo would crack his knuckles, Emiri decided to ask, "I admit my surprise, but...why the glass?" She asked curiously.

Lorenzo would sport a rather wicked grin--one Emiri knew she had seen on Nadeline much too many times, though at least now she knew where the princess had gotten it from--and he would start the boat. The engine rumbled rather quietly, though they would slowly begin to take off. Emiri immediately noted that it really wasn't any faster than a normal boat, though as she was abut to make her comment, Lorenzo snapped his fingers. "Alright, kiddos, brace yourselves!" He said as he would press a button.

Emiri was immediately thrown back in her seat, letting out a squeal of terror. This thing was about as fast as Jaakuna's bike! She tried hard to sit up properly, but the speed wouldn't let her. They would drive through the tunnel, eventually reaching the familiar waterway they had seen when coming into Rozarria. The water splashed all around the glass, and it was then that Emiri realized why it was there. As they drove, the site of the explosion would be seen clearer. Or rather, the lack of the area--any previous building or monument had been clearly wiped clean.

The boat would then suddenly jerk to the side, Lorenzo having pulled it towards the edge. Emiri hit the side hard, and let out a gasp as she saw several Elementals hovering above the water. They were certainly not around when they had come! Lorenzo would maneuver through them, well aware that if any of them would get aggravated, they'd attack the boat. "The Mist always does attract monsters..." Emiri commented as she watched them zip through the pack. Still, it would turn out that Elementals were the least of their worries when a Sahagin would jump onto the boat. Lorenzo let out a curse as he would shift to a faster speed, but it seemed the Sahagin wasn't alone when a few more would jump in the way, covering Lorenzo's vision. He would immediately switch back down to a slower speed. At that point, Emiri knew what had to be done as she would bring herself closer to the men. "Open the glass, lest they swarm us!"" Emiri instructed Lorenzo.

Lorenzo looked back at her, but would then grin. "Great idea, Elizabeth! But I don't think it's a good idea if you fight, so!" He said, pushing a button. Once the glass was lowered, Lorenzo would stand, grabbing Emiri and plopping her onto the driver's seat. "Try not to crash us, alright?" He said as a Sahagin would make its leap at him. In one fell swoop, he would uppercut the monster, his glove glowing and promptly blasting the creature away. "Come now, fellow blonde prince! Let's show these things who's boss!"

Emiri took the wheel rather nervously, though she would have to jerk the vehicle away from an Elemental. Lorenzo would hop onto the front of the boat, charging at the monsters.

---

There was a possibility that maybe, just maybe instead of Black Magicks being more effective, they were essentially useless against the Holy Esper. Nadeline clucked her tongue in disappointment as Scourge was easily purified. Still, Ultima was right. Normal spells and the like weren't about to even put so much as a scratch on Ultima. Indeed, reaching deep within would have to be the answer. But the question that lingered in her head was, would it be enough? No, it was too late for any doubts, and as Ultima would summon her weapon, Nadeline readied herself as she gripped her staff tightly. As the rapier Wesley gave her gently hit her side, an idea popped into her head. She had read about the spell some time ago, but would it work?

Grant couldn't help but start to get just a little nervous. Nadeline's lack of experience was starting to show, but at the very least, she was quick to react and try something new. But how long was that going to last? Ultima clearly proved that she had more than a few tricks up his sleeve, but Nadeline kept surprising them all with her own intuition and knowledge. What worried him most, however, was the fact that the could tell she was casting spells she had no control of. She had gotten lucky with Shock, but nearly got caught in her own Scourge, what if the next one would backfire entirely? No, I can't start thinking like this. Grant shook his head, lightly tugging on his lower lip. Just like Wesley and Savayna, I need to believe, too.

The princess bit her lip lightly, gripping her staff as she mulled her options over. Whatever happens, I have to keep going and adjust to the situation. Only way to see if it'll work is to try it. Nadeline thought. Indeed, if Ultima would be swtiching to close combat, then her staff was no longer an option. The staff would return to its bracelet form as Nadeline would begin to cast another spell, withdrawing her rapier. She gripped it tightly as another glyph appeared beneath her, though this spell was notably quicker than any other she casted. The Cloud Staff's bracelet would turn into mist and dissolve into the glyph. The glyph would glow a pure white in response, quickly coating itself over Nadeline's weapon, and as Ultima came, the two weapons would clash. The ephemeral glow would cause the two weapons to parry, though it would fade to reveal another rapier in its place. The blade was essentially magical in property, though at least it would give Nadeline a better chance at close-quarters combat.

Nadeline whipped her weapon aside as she charged, her weapon glowing a bright blue as she would jab multiple times at Ultima. With each jab, the sword would gain hue, eventually becoming a deep colored blue, and at the final swing, several blue rays would erupt from her sword, sending themselves at the Esper. "That's...Ardor?" Grant asked, somewhat shocked at Nadeline's utility of the advanced Black Magic spell. He was slightly put off, having been expecting more, but maybe Nadeline needed time for whatever she had planned.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Lorenzo and Karolina would look at one another. Karolina nodded, and Lorenzo would let out a heavy sigh. "Asking a man to be away from his dearly beloved...you got some guts, boy!" Lorenzo declared, a spark of his usual self creeping out. He would then quickly wrap Karolina into a tight hug. "There is nothing greater in this world than the one you love, the only person in the world who understands you no matter what your inner demons!"

Karolina giggled, hugging him back. "Oh Darling! I'm so touched you still feel this way, even after all these years!"

Emiri couldn't help but laugh at the pair, though deep in her heart, if she and Jaakuna could get even half of the spirit of love these two had, she would be content. As Lorenzo would bury his wife's face in kisses, she would look at Jaakuna rather shyly, hoping he would get the message. It was then, however, that the Dream Powder would then fade from the flowers, signaling the completion of the spell. The wreath would become undone, and each flower would dissolve into Mist. She let out a small gasp of surprise as she touched her head.

Lorenzo released Karolina and would nod at the pair. "Alright then, we can get to the scene of the crime by boat, no doubt the area should be clear." He said, though he couldn't help but look at Emiri. At the very least, if Emiri decided to get moody, he could back Jaakuna up.

---

For some reason, Nadeline was calmer than she had expected. Ultima admitted that she had underestimated her, though she wasn't foolish enough to believe she would best the Esper on power alone. Still, she had decided specifically to rely on her strongest asset--her magicks--because of the fight. She had thought that she would save it for Zodiark, but Ultima was too important, too needed. Her already high magic power was further enhanced by the staff, and the fact that her Shock came out much stronger than she had expected only proved that perhaps she was a match for the Holy Esper before her.

She took in a deep breath, calming her nerves as she would prepare her next spell. She was going to bring out all the stops, every single spell she knew, even if she had yet to use them. Her magicks had evolved considerably, though she knew that she would hit her peak sooner than Ultima would. She would deal with that when it came to it, and her glyph appeared beneath her. Reaching deeper within her own power, a wnd began to pick up around her. Ultima had given her the chance to come out with a charge, and she would make her regret it. A burst of wind would blow once as she set out her spell: "Scourge!" She called, and her spell would spring to life as a glyph would appear underneath the High Seraph. From within, several demonic tentacles would shoot and surround the Esper, spraying a magical toxin around. However, Nadeline underestimated her own power and would jump backwards in an effort to avoid it, though the toxin wouldn't let her leave without sucking some of her magicks out of her.